Best dishes of 2014 – Inspired by this weeks SL Mag dining awards, over on The Utah Review today, I posted my top ten dining list. As ever, the dining scene in Utah just keeps on growing and improving; I can’t see 2015 being any different (more news on new restaurants to come next week).
Check out my top ten and let me know what dishes stood out for you last year. I’m still dreaming of that fried chicken (pictured above) from The Annex by Epic Brewing.
Riverhorse On Main – In more award news Riverhorse On Main in Park City has been honored with a four-star award from Forbes Travel Guide for the sixteenth year running. Riverhorse adds the 2015 Forbes distinction to a long list of honors including nods from DiRōNA and AAA.
“Receiving the Forbes Four Star distinction is such an honor to chefs,” said Seth Adams, executive chef and co-owner of Riverhorse On Main. “My entire team and I are dedicated to provided a dining experience that delights and even surprises our guests each and every day. I’m especially proud that our menu, ambiance, and, of course, the food itself translated so well to qualify for the award.”
Adams as been at the helm as executive chef for more than a decade now, pumping out seasonal New American cuisine with a rustic flair that suits the mountain town. Indeed I called out one such dish in that top ten above from a meal I enjoyed this summer. From the PR people: “Standouts include the macadamia-nut-crusted Alaskan halibut with broccolini, herb whipped potatoes and mango, and the trio of wild game featuring North American buffalo, venison chop and elk with scalloped potatoes, port wine reduction, herb butter and Montana huckleberry. But while renowned for its USDA Prime steak and succulent fish fare, the Riverhorse is equally lauded for its extensive wine list featuring a considerable array of wines by the glass.” For once the PR fanfare matches the reality.
540 Main St, Park City, UT 84060
(435) 649-3536
www.riverhorseparkcity.com
Bambara * – With the Oscars just around the corner this weekend, the votes have been compiled and Bambara’s bartenders are going out on a limb to predict “American Sniper” as Best Picture. To have a little fun with the buzz surrounding the 2014 Academy Awards, Bambara featured original specialty drinks, each designed for an Oscar “Best Picture”.
“Our Oscar-themed cocktails were a big hit in The Vault” said Bambara’s Assistant General Manager John Wormdahl, who oversees the beverage programs. “This year’s offerings really inspired some artful conversations in the Vault.”
American Sniper – Top pick with 120 votes: Tito’s Vodka, blueberries, ginger beer. A blueberry mule made with vodka from CPO Kyle’s home state of Texas $14
Imitation Game – Second Runner up at 80 Votes: Beefeater Martini with Ransom Dry Vermouth. A British standard created with vermouth which has the complexity of the Enigma Code. $14
Birdman – in third with 70 votes: Don Julio Anejo Margarita. Aged tequila for the aged action star. $20
The Theory of Everything – tied for fourth with 50 votes: Iron Horse’s Neck, Remy Martin VSOP, St. Germain, ginger ale. Also pays homage to Lou Gehrig, the ‘Iron Horse’ of baseball, who also suffered from ALS. $16
The Grand Budapest Hotel – tied for fourth with 50 votes: Jagermeister, Malibu, and pineapple. Jagermeister to represent the film’s production location of Germany. $14
Boyhood – 40 votes: Smoky Nail, scotch and Drambuie. Made with Laphroaig 18 for Mason Evans, Jr.’s age at the end of the film. $26
Whiplash – 30 votes: Perfect Manhattan from the current cocktail list. In honor of Buddy Rich, one of Andrew Neiman’s heroes. $16
Selma – 20 votes: Southern Comfort mint julep, the drink of the south. $12
202 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 363-5454
www.bambara-slc.com
Bourye — pronounced “boo-rye” — is a marriage of a 9-year-old straight bourbon with 10 and 16-year-old straight rye whiskeys, creating a sipping whiskey and one of High West’s all-time favorites. Priced at $80 per bottle, the front label is an actual picture of a jackelope drawn in 1743.
“When we first mixed some older bourbons and ryes together in 2009, it was just a crazy experiment and the result blew us away, the blend created a rich and delicious well-balanced sipping whiskey!” High West proprietor David Perkins said. “Although this new version is very similar to the original top-secret formula in whiskey sources, age and taste profile, we think it’s even better because it has a richer longer finish.” Bourye is a connoisseur’s sipping whiskey, best enjoyed straight or with a little water. “Its nose is rich caramel and vanilla and the taste is thick vanilla, sweet honey nougat, with even more caramel and candied fruits. The finish is something to behold” Perkins said. “Long, sweet, and complex.”
* Gastronomic SLC is a proud local partner of Bambara.
Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC. I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.
I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV. Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.
Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.
This article may contain content provided by one of our paid partners. These are some of the best businesses in Utah. For a list of all our current and past relationships see our partnership history page.